Daughter of council member kicked out after resolution on recording meeting dies

A controversial resolution that would ban people from recording and photographing meetings from the audience and instead establish designated areas died at the Guernsey Town Council on Tuesday after it failed to receive a motion. The resolution, which sought to “establish content-neutral time, place and manner of regulations governing photography and videography within town hall meeting spaces,” had been publicly criticized, with some residents and even town council members questioning its constitutionality.

Council member Joe Michaels told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday before the meeting that the resolution “borders on being unconstitutional.” “It’s a very, very fine line,” Michaels said. “We don’t want to infringe on anybody’s rights — not ours and not theirs.”

Shawna Reichert, a self-described “independent citizen journalist” who has been recording Guernsey Town Council meetings for the past year, criticized Michaels’ remarks on her Guernsey Watch social media page. “Recording these meetings has been met with repeated pushback and resistance from the majority of this council,” she said. “Now that the public is paying attention, the tone is changing.”

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Mayor Ed Delgado read the resolution when it came up for consideration. A long moment of silence followed. “Is there a motion?” the mayor asked. No one spoke up. He asked twice more. From the audience, Melissa Howe, daughter of council member Penny Wells, directed a comment at the council: “Nothing from Joe,” referring to Michaels. “Another remark and I’m going to have to remove you,” the mayor told Howe.

There was more silence before the mayor said, “Resolution 2026-009 died with a lack of a motion.” Howe clapped. That’s when the mayor motioned to the Chief of Police Jay Harrison. “Chief, can you move her out of here, please?” he said. “Way to flip-flop, Joe,” Howe said as she was removed from the meeting.

Delgado told Cowboy State Daily he was surprised the resolution failed to get a motion. “The reason I was surprised is because there has been disruption in the council meetings before,” he said about people recording and livestreaming from the audience. “I figured that the council wanted it.”

Council member Wells said the resolution was an attempt to minimize disruptions during council meetings. Some council members say Reichert doesn’t just record, but that she also narrates and talks for her video audience while recording and livestreaming, which can be a distraction. Howe sought to clarify that at Tuesday’s meeting before she was asked to leave. “I frequently interrupt during the meetings, out of turn,” she said during public comment. “I have a little frustration with the council. I do sometimes fill in and record the meetings.”

There are no further plans to proceed with the resolution, Delgado said. “It just dies,” he said. “Nothing more is going to happen.” That means that if audience members are disruptive while recording public meetings, he will have them escorted out — as was the case Tuesday.

Reichert said she believes the resolution died because of the public pressure the town council faced. “To be honest, I think the voices of our local residents convinced them to stop this resolution and is why it didn’t move forward,” she said. “I think that really matters.” During public comment, Reichert spoke, saying, “All it keeps appearing with this council is that you don’t want transparency or accountability. So, for those of you that keep fighting it, what do you have to hide?”

Howe told Cowboy State Daily that she knew going into Tuesday’s meeting that she might be escorted out. Even so, she said she was surprised that it happened after she clapped. “I knew I’d get one chance to say something,” she said. “I’ve tried to stay separate because my mom sits on the council, but I could no longer stay separate.” She said Michaels had previously referred to her as “his film crew.” “I knew Joe was going do what he always does and flip his stance,” she said. “And that’s exactly what happened.”